Tamisia shook her head. “I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since the council adjourned.”
“Damn it.” Zael started walking again. “If you see him, tell him he could be in danger. Tell him I need to speak to him at once.”
She nodded. “I will.”
As he strode through the council building, Zael slowed his thoughts down, centering his focus on the energy that lived in every Atlantean. He searched for his friend using his mind and his senses.
He couldn’t locate him.
Holy hell.
If his old friend was in possible danger from Elyon, what about the crystal?
The colony kept their power source in the top floor of the building he was in now. Zael teleported there, disappearing in a burst of light, then materializing in the chamber that held the colony’s Atlantean crystal.
He got there just in time to find Nethilos lying in a pool of blood on the floor of the chamber. His head was severed from his body, having come to rest next to a gore-streaked, long Atlantean blade. The kind Zael and the rest of his legion comrades used to carry.
Ah, fuck. He recoiled at the grisly sight of his peace-minded friend. The savagery of Nethilos’s killing rocked Zael, but he pushed down his horror and pain so he didn’t lose his grasp on the lethal fury that boiled up on him.
Because there was Elyon, standing in front of the crystal. The bastard had removed the protective glass cover and was just about to lift the egg-sized, silvery object from its marble pedestal when Zael’s booming voice startled him.
“You cowardly fuck. Get away from the crystal.”
Elyon wheeled around at the unexpected intrusion. His gaze flicked to the blade he’d so carelessly dropped after he committed his crime.
The razor-sharp blade Zael now held in his hand, ready to strike.
He advanced judiciously on Elyon, forcing him to forfeit his position near the crystal in order to avoid the striking range of Zael’s lightning fast sword arm.
Elyon chuckled. “Been a long time since you wielded Atlantean steel, captain.”
“Not so long,” Zael returned, demonstrating with a jab that nicked the other male’s shoulder. “How long have you been planning to take the crystal back to Selene?”
Elyon’s blond brows rose. “You knew?”
“Not until I spoke to Tamisia a moment ago.”
“Tamisia.” Elyon sneered as he said her name. “I’ve been trying to convince her to come with me, back to the realm. She wouldn’t do it. Beautiful, that one, but she has no sense.”
e stood motionless as they left. Utterly silent. He wasn’t even certain she was breathing.
“Are you okay?” he asked her, his concern focused wholly on her despite the endless ramifications of what had just occurred. “Brynne, talk to me…”
“This is all my fault.” Her words were toneless, but the sob she choked back was ragged with emotion. “Zael, I’m so sorry. I told you what we did yesterday was a mistake. Now, I’ve ruined everything.”
“No. Not you. Don’t think that. We both were in that bed together.”
He wanted to reach out and stroke his thumb over her quivering lips. His fingers itched to sweep away the lone tear that slid down the side of her lovely, guilt-stricken face. But he didn’t know if she would want his comfort now.
And until he found a way to fix everything that had just gone wrong, he had no assurances or promises to give her.
As for the council, he didn’t need to delay another moment.
He had his answer for them.
He only had to convince them to accept it.
“Stay here,” he told Brynne. “I need to find Nethilos and talk to him privately.”